No Good Deed
"No Good Deed" is the twenty-second episode of season 1, and overall the twenty-second produced hour of Person of Interest. It originally aired on May 10, 2012. Synopsis New York, NY 2009 Nathan Ingram walks across the 35th floor of the IFT building, past rows of servers toward Harold Finch who tinkering with one of the servers. They discuss the fact that the Machine is to be turned over to the government the next day. Ingram comments that he is glad to be rid of the Machine and corrects Finch when he comments about the lives saved, stating that "countless relevant" lives have been saved. Nathan comments that everyone is relevant to someone and that Harold would know that if he had someone in his life. Nathan informs Harold that he is concerned about the fact that Harold has been working with the machine, watching other peoples lives, for so many years and urges him to invest some time on his own life. Harold implies that he has spent some time on this life, but Nathan, laughing with Finch, informs Harold that he would know if Harold had someone special. Later, Nathan meets Alicia Corwin in a bar to discuss the transfer of the Machine. Nathan inquires about the facility for the Machine and asks about how the information is to be disseminated. Corwin reassures him that the information will not be able to be tracked back to the Machine. Nathan comments that only eight people know about the Machine and corwin, visibly shocks, corrects him and states that only 7 people know about the Machine. Ingram, realizing his mistake, tries to laugh it off, but comments that Corwin seems unsettled. Alicia comments that she will be glad to be done with the Machine and return to he 'day job' and when asked about it, states that it is classified. After the meeting with Corwin, a visibly shaken Ingram meets again with Finch at the IFT building. Nathan informs Harold of his concerns about Corwin's actions during their meeting and asks if Harold has a contingency plan if they discover that the government is misusing the Machine. Harold tells him that they need to trust the Machine and states that a back door could compromise it. His voice cracking, he tells Nathan that it would be "very bad" if someone else found out how to access the Machine. Reminding Nathan that he used to be a talented engineer and should know about the risk of a back door; Harold then turns the Machine off, to ready it for transit, and silently leaves the building. In the early hours of the next day, a determined looking Ingram, restarts the Machine, is recognized by it and begins a new core program; Contingency. May 7, 2012 Reese is tailing Finch down the street, when Finch's phone beeps. After looking at the cell phone, he picks up the receiver of a nearby pay phone, listening. Finch then calls Reese to advise him that they have a new number and to meet. At the library, Reese is looking at "Crime and Punishment" as Finch explains about the latest person of interest, a financial analyst. Finch, annoyed at Reese's seeming inattention asks if Reese is 'following him' and Reese repeats that they are discussing a financial analyst. Reese informs Finch that he knows that Finch did not get the number while at the library and wants to know more about how the Machine communicates with Finch, commenting that Finch would want their work to continue if something happened to Harold. Harold tells John that he has a contingency, but give Reese no other information. Reese begins his surveillence of Henry Peck, the newest number from the Machine. Reese is unable to get any wifi or phone signals from Peck's office and as Finch is unable to access Peck's email, voice mail or internet accounts, plants a wireless 'bug' on Peck when he leaves the office. When Peck returns to the building, Reese follows him in, attempting to get past the secretary. He is able to observe Peck enter a locked room; before being advised by the secretary, with the aid of 45mm revolver, that he should leave. Reese now realizes that Peck is really a spy, working in a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF). In order to access the facility, Finch hides a camera and transciever inside a coffee maker, using the building's wiring to transmit the signals. Reese and Finch then discover that the office a listening station for the NSA and that Peck is actually a intelligence analyst. While Reese is watching Peck that evening, the police show up to arrest him for drugs that were found in his apartment. Finch realizes that there is someone else listening when the bug has feedback and Reese sees someone leaving the area, but loses him. They now realize that Peck is being set up. May 8, 2012 Back at the library, Reese notes that Finch has several copies of the same magazine and copies down the lot number of the cup that held Finch's tea, that he pulled form the trash. Detective Carter calls Reese with arrest information about Peck the fact that he had a speeding ticket expunged after preparing a 78 page brief for the judge. Finch is able to obtain video of someone entering Peck's apartment. Reese, listening on the coffee pot bug, hears that Peck is fired. Peck continues to try to contact the Deputy Director of the NSA. When Peck arrives back at his apartment, he is attacked, but Reese, after fighting with the intruder, realizes that someone in the government is trying to kill Peck. Finch using the wireless bug to track Peck down overhears the conversation between Peck and the NSA director, is shocked to discover that Peck has been asking questions about the Machine, although Peck is unaware of this. He informs Reese that Peck is being threatened because of him. Reese and Finch continue to follow Peck and overhear a conversation with Alicia Corwin in which she tells him about sibillance and tells him to run. Peck ditches his phone and the bug and empties his bank accounts and gives away his credit cards to throw off his trackers. Reese tells Finch that Peck is being followed by a 3 man team, probably a Army black ops squad, and that he would look for Peck by targeting his needs, Finch is able to track Peck to a cash only hotel with internet access and realizes, through Peck's internet searches that he is planning to break into the NSA. The black ops team following Peck check in with their handler, a person at the Offic of Special Council, and are told to 'get it done'. Reese and the team track Peck to the NSA, where he proceeds to copy reports that he had completed. Reese is able to rescue Peck from the assassins, and Peck deliberately attacks a police car and is arrested. He is taken to the 8th precinct, where while talking with Fusco, comes to the realization that the only way the government could have the information that they do is to have a Machine. After Fusco leaves the interrogation room, a disguised Reese releases Peck and takes him out of the building. Peck calls the Office of Special Council with a stolen cell phone, giving away their location. Reese tells Peck that there is no one safe to talk to. The taxi that John is driving is attacked and set on fire. Reese drags Peck out of the burning cab, just as they are attacked by the Army assassin. Peck escapes, but Reese is able to determine from the dying man that he knows nothing about why he was hunting Peck. May 10, 2012 Trivia *The title is taken from the quote, "No good deed goes unpunished." **The quote could refer to Ingram's insertion of a backdoor program to the Machine, for which Finch and Reese are currently "punished" for. **In addition, the building of the Machine led to Henry Peck's firing and near-death experience. **The creation of the Machine (good deed), lead to the death and injury (punishment) of Ingram and Finch by the people protecting the Machine. Themes Loss and regret 122 122